TY - JOUR
T1 - Growing into politics?
T2 - the development of adolescents’ views on democracy over time
AU - Nieuwelink, Hessel
AU - ten Dam, Geert
AU - Geijsel, Femke
AU - Dekker, Paul
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - This study focuses on how views on democracy develop during adolescence. A total of 40 Dutch adolescents were interviewed in their second and fourth year of secondary education. The study shows that the interviewed adolescents do become more familiar with politics but do not develop more nuanced views towards democracy. As the adolescents age, a one-dimensional perspective on democracy becomes more apparent. In the interviewees’ perspective, democracy increasingly equals majority rule. Other aspects, such as minority interests and finding consensus, are increasingly neglected. This study, therefore, suggests that adolescents do not ‘naturally’ develop more complex views on democracy when they age.
AB - This study focuses on how views on democracy develop during adolescence. A total of 40 Dutch adolescents were interviewed in their second and fourth year of secondary education. The study shows that the interviewed adolescents do become more familiar with politics but do not develop more nuanced views towards democracy. As the adolescents age, a one-dimensional perspective on democracy becomes more apparent. In the interviewees’ perspective, democracy increasingly equals majority rule. Other aspects, such as minority interests and finding consensus, are increasingly neglected. This study, therefore, suggests that adolescents do not ‘naturally’ develop more complex views on democracy when they age.
U2 - 10.1177/0263395717724295
DO - 10.1177/0263395717724295
M3 - Article
SN - 0263-3957
VL - 38
SP - 395
EP - 410
JO - Politics
JF - Politics
IS - 4
ER -